Brussels sprout
Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera
Also called Sprouts
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitFirm it in hard and stake it. A sprout plant rocking in wind makes loose, blown buttons.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 4 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Very hardy RHS H7, to -25°C
- Size
- 0.75 m tall · 0.75 m across
- Lifecycle
- Biennial
- Origin
- Eastern Mediterranean
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects horses. Signs: stomach and gut irritation, with belly pain (colic).
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA, Johnny's Selected Seeds and Clemson HGIC on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A grey waxy bloom low in the growing point and between the newest buttons, before the leaves above it curl and pucker.Mealy cabbage aphid · pest
- The lowest sprouts opening into loose leafy rosettes instead of closing into tight buttons — the stem has rocked in soft ground or been fed too much nitrogen.Blown sprouts · disorder
- Tiny white flies lifting off the underside of the lower leaves when the plant is knocked, and a sooty film on the leaves below.Cabbage whitefly · pest